How do Outside Temperatures Affect the Temperatures Inside Your Vehicle?

Summer is upon us! With the upcoming stretch of upper-90s and triple-digit heat in the forecast, now is a good time to learn about the dangers of heat stroke and being trapped in a hot car.

Cars can heat up quickly in the summer. On a 100-degree day, even if the windows are cracked, the temperature inside the car can soar to about 119 degrees in just ten minutes.

And to 129 in just 20 minutes.

Even on a mild day at 73 degrees outside, an SUV can heat up to 100 degrees in 10 minutes. The vehicle's interior will continue to grow hotter and more lethal by the minute.

This is why you should never leave children or pets unattended in a parked vehicle on a hot day, even with the window rolled down for any length of time, because they will die. Cracking a window does very little to prevent the internal temperature of a car from rising.

Be sure to do anything possible to remind yourself when children or pets are inside your car. Such as setting a reminder on your phone for each time you should pick up or drop off your child. Or, put a cell phone, purse or even your left shoe in the backseat to remind you.